Mark Twain once said, "I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead." As Mr. Clemens suggests, the ability to say more with less is something every writer should aspire to. It's my belief that when chefs share a similar food philosophy, and the skill to do more with less, it can result in transcendent meals.

The cookistry of chef Kelly Whitaker at Basta is an exquisitely written short letter to food lovers. Basta, meaning "enough" in Italian is the perfect name for this Boulder restaurant stand-out , as each dish conceived in their kitchen is no more, and no less than what it should be: a perfect study in food simplicity.

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Even the decor, an unassuming cozy space tucked into the Peloton complex on East Arapahoe is designed with an understated elegance. Inside, at the heart of the oak-scented room is the piece de resistance, the wood-burning oven. The sleek oak bar adds a touch of edginess to the otherwise unadorned room. Polished wood tables and stonemasonry prevent the room from looking sparse.

It was a perfect summer evening and so we chose to sit outside at one of the tables overlooking the lawn. This patio is one of the few places in Boulder where you can sit uninterrupted by street traffic as it's tucked into a courtyard. It was a lovely place to laze for our evening meal. I sipped the house wine, Basta ($6), a white from Bookcliff Vineyards in Grand Valley, Colorado. This was the best representation of a Colorado white I've tasted. Hints of oak and balanced fruity tones paired perfectly with our appetizer selections. My companion enjoyed a crisp, light and slightly effervescent pinot gris ($8). In addition to the thoughtful wine list, Basta boasts a full bar and mixes creative cocktails.

Our hospitable and knowledgeable waiter Jason decided for us when he noticed that we were struggling with our order. Cheese selection is never something that should be taken lightly. "You'll have the burrata," he said. "The house mozzarella with roasted peppers is of course delicious, but our burrata is sublime." A supplement of the wood-fired vegetable salad rounded out our appetizers and met with Jason's nod of approval.

Sublime seemed an almost insignificant word to describe the beauty of Basta's burrata ($12). This cow's milk pouch of fresh mozzarella stuffed with an oozy cream and cheese center could easily be served on its own with some bread and be delicious. Armed with the knowledge of how to subtly enhance near perfection, Whitaker added pancetta lardons and a roasted leek puree, amplifying sublime to surreal.

The fire-roasted veggie salad ($12): a compilation of sweet and smoky beets, fingerling potato rounds, peppers roasted until fire-engine red, and mushrooms came tossed with baby arugula in a basic balsamic vinaigrette. Not too acidic, nor too sweet, this dressing only served to boost the flavors of the oak-kissed vegetables.

We had to order a pizza since Basta has some of the best in Boulder. Our selection of the "cart-driver" ($15) topped with broccoli rapini, crumbled sausage, fennel pollen, chilies and mozzarella was a great choice. The bitterness of the rapini at the mercy of the sweet fennel and spicy chili creates a pizza with the most harmonious flavor profile.

While Basta is known for its pizza, as good at it is, it pales in comparison to their elite list of entrees. We tried the roast chicken with polenta, spinach and chicken jus ($20). A chef can live or die by the execution of the perfect roast chicken. Adding nothing but black pepper and thyme, Whitaker knows how to cook a boyd. Flash marinating then searing face down in a cast iron pan, the Basta bird is left to roast in the wood-fired oven. The breast emerges juicy and tender with a crisped skin. Roasted pan jus only elevates the poultry flavor. A peasant-style soft polenta is the exact accompaniment you'd want to capture the drippings.

Bus boys and girls buzzed in throughout our meal. Service is on point and more indicative of a fancier establishment. We felt well taken care of especially when trying to decide on dessert. We'd narrowed our selection down to the house-churned ice cream, but there were four flavors and only a three-scoop offering. Asking Jason which one should be omitted, he offered to bring us all four. After tasting all ($5), we knew why he couldn't just answer the question. It was impossible to exclude any of them in good conscience.

Fresh mint made with subdued spearmint leaves exudes a mellow essence you wouldn't get with a cool peppermint, leaving only the frozen cream to make your mouth shiver. Burnt caramel with black sea salt was delicious but slightly overshadowed by the pure flavors of the chocolate hazelnut scoop. Semi-sweet notes of dark chocolate weaved through, not into intense hazelnut flavor. You'd first taste rich chocolate then your tongue would discern nuttiness. The standout was campfire vanilla, named for the lingering smokiness left inside your mouth after savoring a spoonful. Vanilla beans smoldered in the oven were then steeped in cream to make this unique flavor. This finish to our meal was so memorable, it wrapped the entire evening in a haze of oaked loveliness.

Perhaps I could have summed this up in short form. Had I heeded the immortal words of Mark Twain, I'd have written only this: Go to Basta, it's simply wonderful.

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